First time doing hydroponics after using soil all these years… I don't think I will ever go back!
Faster growth, less disease, cleaner and much more cost saving than soil/pots!
Try to shade the buckets and try to find a way to keep them topped up automatically. These tomatoes can get large, which means higher nutrient consumption up to 2 gallons a day and larger roots, which will need more oxygen. Larger containers may help with oxygen, or a larger air gap. Good luck!
Sharp_Hedgehog9547
I had the same grow in bunnings 20l though. Went well but without insulation on the outside of the bucket the water temps are really high in aus. Have you checked your water temps in the bucket? I wrapped mine in the cool ice heat bags they sell on ebay or at butchers stores they’re a shiny silver 3 piece layered bag. Dropped the temps by about 3-4 degree usually. Moved to bato buckets and the production and ease of maintenance was far better than kratky in buckets for me. Your tomato looks really healthy though but look out for the signs of root rot with the higher water temps in kratky as you can’t bury the bucket being on a verandah. See if you can shade the bucket sor wrap with insulation. Good luck!
geolaw
Nice! My first hydro experiment was with kratky 5 or 6 years ago. I started things off on the window sill in mason jars and eventually moved things outside in 5 gallon buckets. In hindsight I should have done more research on the affects of the summer heat. I’m in upstate SC, traveled out west for work and arrived back home to 100 degree weather in late May. I failed to explain things to my wife while I was away and came home to find the buckets half empty due to evaporation. I topped the buckets off but the temps were still getting way too hot.
I ended moving things inside but the damage had been done and it really reduced the harvest in the end.
Getting ready to start another hydro experiment all inside soon. Got almost everything ready to go just need to find the time
3 Comments
Try to shade the buckets and try to find a way to keep them topped up automatically. These tomatoes can get large, which means higher nutrient consumption up to 2 gallons a day and larger roots, which will need more oxygen. Larger containers may help with oxygen, or a larger air gap. Good luck!
I had the same grow in bunnings 20l though. Went well but without insulation on the outside of the bucket the water temps are really high in aus. Have you checked your water temps in the bucket? I wrapped mine in the cool ice heat bags they sell on ebay or at butchers stores they’re a shiny silver 3 piece layered bag. Dropped the temps by about 3-4 degree usually. Moved to bato buckets and the production and ease of maintenance was far better than kratky in buckets for me. Your tomato looks really healthy though but look out for the signs of root rot with the higher water temps in kratky as you can’t bury the bucket being on a verandah. See if you can shade the bucket sor wrap with insulation. Good luck!
Nice! My first hydro experiment was with kratky 5 or 6 years ago. I started things off on the window sill in mason jars and eventually moved things outside in 5 gallon buckets. In hindsight I should have done more research on the affects of the summer heat. I’m in upstate SC, traveled out west for work and arrived back home to 100 degree weather in late May. I failed to explain things to my wife while I was away and came home to find the buckets half empty due to evaporation. I topped the buckets off but the temps were still getting way too hot.
I ended moving things inside but the damage had been done and it really reduced the harvest in the end.
Getting ready to start another hydro experiment all inside soon. Got almost everything ready to go just need to find the time